Automatic musical instrument.



F. L. MGGORMIGK & A. DE KLEIST.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

4 u I I APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1910. 1,043,056, Patented 0ct.29,1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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lIlIIIlIIII lllllllllfl F. L. MOGORMIGK & A. DE KLEIST.

AUTOMATIQ MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 24 RUN mit A I'. L. MOGORMGK & A. DE KLEIST.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT` Patented oct. 29, 1912.

3 BHEETSSHBET 3.

Zf v e rfi-v WJ APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1910.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

FRANK MGCORMICK AND AUGUST DE KLEIST, F NOR'IH TONAWANDA, NEW YORK, .ASSIGNORSTO THE RUDOLPH WURLITZER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NORTH TONAWANDA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

i .To all whom rit may concern:

. iication.

This invention relatesto automatic musical. instruments havinga pneumatic action and. automatic rewinding means for the music sheetI which controls said action, the invention having more particular reference to electrically, driven instruments of this class in which the motor-circuit is closed by a coin which is detained in a chute oi' hopper for a sutlicient time to cause the instrument to play one or more pieces, at the end of which period tliefcoiii is automatically released to break the ii'iotor-circuit and stop the instrument.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision-of a mechanical driving and rewind mechanism for the music sheet which is positive and reliable in action and which can be easily repaired by ordinary mechanics.

vOther objects are to improve the mechanism forl rendering the pneumatic action inoperative during the rewinding of the music sheet, and to provide the instrument with convenient means for throwing the music and take-'up rolls outof gear vWith the driving mechanism without disturbing the latter, so that the music rolls can be changed without the necessity of stopping said mechanism. f

In the accompanying drawings consisting of 3 sheets: Figure 1 is a front elevation of lan automatic piano embodying the invention with the front wall of the case removed, the piano action and strings' being omitted for clearness.` Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the tracker-box and the roll-driving mechanism, on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of said mechanism. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 4 4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view `similar to the right hand portion of Fig. 2, showing a different position of the parts. Fig'. 6 yis afvertical section on line 6 6, Fig. 3, on .an enlarged scale, the wind chest being shown diagrainmatically with reference to the other parts. Fig. 7Iis `an enlarged transverse section 'on line 7-7,.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 6, 1910. Serial No. 559,822.

Fig. 2. .Fig 8 is a horizontal section on line Sn-8, Fig. 5.- Fig. 9 is a vertical section on line 9 9, Fig. S. Fig. 10 is a perspective View of the devices for locking the iushing valve and the shifting device of the frictiongearing.

Similar letters of reference indicate 'corresponding parts throughout the several views. t A

A indicates the wind chestcontaining a pneumatic action of any suitable construction, and B the pump or main suction bellows operated by an electric or other suitable motor B1. A suction trunk A1 connects the wind chest with said bellows.

C indicates the tracker board, C1 the music roll, G2 the take-up roll and C3 the music sheet. The right hand ends of the roll-spindles are engaged with the usual Patented oct. 29,1912.

of the tracker-box or frame. The rewind shaft is lheld against endwise movement and carries a friction disk e2' at its outer end. lilonntetl on the outer end of the take-up shaft c is a spur gear e3 adapted to mesh with a pinion f carried by a longitudinallymovable shaft f1 supported by a bracket f2 secured to the cheek E. A. spring f3 applied to the shaft f* between its inner bearing and a collar 7"4 of the shaft, tends to withdraw the pinion f' from engagement with the spur gear e3. A

f5 indicates a frictionsdisk secured to the outer end of the shaft f1.

G indicates 'an upright shaft facing the friction disks e2 and f5 and .carrying friction wheels g, g1 adapted to engage said disks respectively. The shaft (il is journaled in an oscillating frame or support H pivoted by horizontal pins or trunnions li. to the 'bifurcated outer end of a bracket H projecting from the cheek E. The pivot-pins of this oscillating-frame are arranged cross- ,one direction theupper friction wheel g engages the companion friction disk e2 and the lower friction wheel g1 clears the coriespo'ndingL friction disk while when saidy frameis rocked in the opposite direction,

'the position of said wheels is reversed.v The 35 rewinding the music sheet, the wheel g1 re l said constant rotation of the shaft G in the same direction thus causes themusic sheet to be taken up or rewound according as said shaft is oscillated in one 0r thev other direction. The shaft G is driven from a countershaft I by a belt z' running around pulleys 1, 1 .on shafts. This countershaft may bey driven from the motor B by any suitable means, that shown in the drawings including an intermediate horizontal shaft J connected with the motor by worm gearing and with the countershaft by a belt j.

As best shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the shaft G, extends below the lower friction disk f5 and passes loosely through a block or swivel having a horizontal stud 701 by which it is 'journaled in the upper end of a toggle-arm cg. The latter is pivoted upon a horizontal shaft 7c3 arranged parallel with the pivots of vthe oscillating frame H and mounted in fixed bearings k1.

765 indicates a spring connecting the toggle-arm cz with the cheek E or other fixed part and tending constantly to pull said arm and the lower end of the shaft G toward said cheek, thereby normally holding the lower friction wheel g1 against the disk f5 and the upper wheel g ont ofengagement with the friction wheel'e; and driving the take-up roll. The spring [v5 is more powerful than the spring f3, so as to overcome its resistance and normally shift the pinion f into engagement with the gear wheel c3, as shown in Figs. l and 2. When, however, the position of the shaft G is reversed for -cedes from the disk f5 and the spring f3 Vwhen collapsed. [o

withdraws the pinion f from the gear wheel e3, as shown in Fig. 6. This reversal of the shaft G is automatically eected after the playing of the last piece on the music roll preferably by the following mechanism: L indicates a vertically-swinging shifting lever pivoted at Z to a block Z1, and Z2 is a rod connecting the angular portion of said lever with the toggle armZo2, so that when the long member Z11 of the shifting lever is depressed, the shaft 'G is oscillated to the rewind-position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. Pivoted to said long arm is an up -hnger f/ which coperates with the take-up right trip orpresser-bar m, the upper end of which is movable into and out of the path of a rotary cam m1 secured to an upright shaft I1 which is driven from Idie shaft I by a belt i, The upper portion of this trip bar is arranged in a suitable guide carried by a fixed standard fm1. A spring m1 connecting the trip-bar with the levcr L tends to l draw said bar out of range of the cam fm1. l while a small bellows or pneumatic N servies. swing the upper end ot' l the trip barvunder the fare of the can), as shoun h v dotted lines in Fig. Q. and by l'ull l lines` iu Fig. 5, so as to bc depressed thrrebyfl For this purpose, the movable board ol' this l pneumatic has an arm n which bears against the rear edge of the trip-bar. The operativi of this bellows is controlled by a rewindperforation in the music sheet placed near therear end thereof and a corresponding pair of valves n1, n2 of the usual pneu-` matic action, Fig. 6, the pneumatic being iniated when the rewind-perforation registers with the corresponding tracker-duct and de- Hated when it breaks register therewith, in a well lino-wn manner. During the rewind-l ing operation of the music sheet, theshaft G is locked in position by an automatic pawl or catch d-arranged to interlock with a laterally-projecting pin Z* of the elbow lever L whenv the latter is depressed, as shown in Figs. 5 and 10. This catch is pivoted at 01 toa lug 02 of the block Z1 and is constantly urged toward the pin Z4 by a spring 03.

In order to Hush the wind chest and silence the instrument during the rewindirg of the music-sheet, a branch tube p connects the suction trunk A1 with a flushing chamber P in the block Z1, as shown in-F ig. 6. A port p1 connects this chamber with the outer atmosphere, this port vbeing controlled by a normally-closed valve p2 carried by a vertically-swinging lever p3 fulcrumed on the lug 02. As shown in Figsf, 6 and 10,- the locking pin Z1 extends over the rear arm of the valve-lever v3 at a suitable height to depress said arm simultaneously with the depression of the shifting lever L, thereby lifting the front arm of the valve-lever, opening the valve p2 and fiushing the wind chest.

At the end of the rewinding operation, the locking catch o is automatically disengaged from the locking pin Z4 by the action of aroll. This finger 1s pi'voted at its lower end to a vertically-movable rockarm q1 secured to a horizontal rock shaft ([2, which is arranged parallel with t-he take-up roll and on thel front side thereof. This shalt is supported in l'ieariugs mounted on a base board Q and provided at its right hand end with a trip arm r/S which overlaps the tail of the locking catch, as shown in Figs. 2 and 10. As seen in Fig. 7, the finger r] bears against the couvolutions of the music sheet opposite a transverse groove or recess r in the periphery ot' the take-up roll, the li nger being constantly dra wu toward said roll by a spring r1. This recess has an abrupt rear end r2, referring t0 120 the direction of travel of the take-up roll during the `rewiuding of the music sheet. So long as the recess remains covered by the4 music sheet during the rewinding operation. (he linger is held in the retracted position shown by fullv lines iir Fig. 7, allowing the locking catch 0 to.rem ain in engagement with the locking pin Z1. As soon, however, as the recess is uncovered b y the complete unwiuding of Ihemusic sheet, the lingenis drawn into the recess and its upper end is brought into the path of the abrupt end of the recess, asshown by dotted lines in Fig., .7, thereby depressing the finger and causing 1t to rock thev shaft g2 in the proper' direction to vtrip the locking catch and release the -iiushing valve and the shifting lever L.

In order to permit the speed of the take-up roll to be changed to suit different tempos, thev lower friction wheel g1 is preferably splined' on the shaft G, asshown iin Fig. 6, lso that' it can be shifted tow-ard -and from the center of the companion disk f5. In the construction shown in the drawings, the annularly-grooved hub o f the wheel g1 is embraced by a horizontal fork s having at its vouter end a vertical stem s1 which is ided ina tube s2 carried by the oscillatingrame H,as best shown in Fig. 4. Extending downwardly from said fork is a rod t connected at its lower end 'to .on'earm of a bellv crank lever t" whose other arm isconnected with the adjacentend cfa horizontal shifting bar t2. The latter is provided at its opposite end with a clamping screw t which passes through the horizontal slot t* of a standard T mounted on the base-board Q, preferably opposite the middle of the take-up roll where the'screw can be conveniently manipulated. y""Upon loosening this screw, the bar can be shifted to the rig it or left to a greater or less extent to drive the take-up roll at the desired speed.

It. is 'desirable' to provide means for manually throwing the music and take-up rolls out of gear with the automatic driving and rewind mechanism, so that the music sheet may be moved over the tracker by hand, in

' tuning the instrument with the use of such a sheet, and so that the music rolls can, it' desired, be. changed while the motor remains in operation. prefer to employ the devices shown in the drawings. which are constructed as follows:

u indicates an arm mounted loosely on the shaft k3 beside the toggle-armi12 and facing the cheek E. The arm u is provided on its upper side with a lug u1 adapted' to bear against the front end, of a set screw u2 carried by thetoggle-arm, as shown in'Figs. 6, 8 and 9, so, that when the arm u is .raised it swings the arm 7a2 and the lower portion of the shaft G toward the right, thus withdrawing tlie'lower friction wheel gL from the disk f5 and allowing the spring f to shiftthe pinionY f out of gear with the spur wheel-e9. The arm u is raised by a cam or incline u'engaging' with va laterally-projecting pin 'uf of said arm and carried by a slide U5 mdvable lengthwise of the arm. f

This slide is lguided on the base board Q and is 1n turn actuated by a second slide o arranged on said board in front of the slide u*i and rigidly connectedwith the latter by a' transverse ar'in v1. The slide e has a thumb` For this purpose we ,of gear with the frictional drivin rear slide raises the arm u, as before de` scribed, the cam being of such a height that the shaft G is rocked far enough to allow the gear pinion to clear the wheel e3, but not so far as. to move the upper friction wheel g into contact with the companion disk e2, as shown in Fig. 6. In this position of the parts, the music and take-up lrolls can be turned by hand independently of the driving and rewind mechanism, for timing purposes, and the music roll can be replaced 'by another without stpping the motor. 4fBy providing an adjustable abutment ufor the lug of the arm u, the angle of the latter relative to the toggle-arm k2 can be readily regiilated to give the shaft Gr the required tlirowto move both the friet-ion wheels g, g1 out of gear with the companion disks, as above described. Aspiral spring u is preferably applied to this screw between its knurled head and the arm 7a2 to frictionally hold it from turning.

To enable the instrument to be silenced while changing the music roll and yet allow the pump-motor to continue inv operation, the cam-slide a5 is provided with a second cam or incline u7 arranged to engage under a forward extension p4 of the flush-valve lever 723, when said slide is shifted to its full extent, as shown in Fig. 6, thereby opening the flushing valve p2. .The valve-opening cam ul is so arranged with relation to said extension that it stops short thereof under a partial or half-stroke of the slide and en,-

gages the same only'when the slide receives its full stroke. By this arrangement, the

flushing valve can be left closed, in tuning' the instrument with the use of the music sheet, and can be opened in changing the musicv roll. As sliown,tlie calm ui has a dwell oi' horizontal portion u8, of sufficient lengthto keep the arm u elevated. inboth the half-stroke and full-stroke positions of the cani-slide. v

In. practice, the motor-circuit may be closed by any suitable means.' This may be accomplished by depositing a coin in a chute or coin-controlled switch W of any approved kind, preferably constructed to release the coin after the instrument has played a piece of music, or a predetermined number of pieces in a 'well known manner. This mechanism is not fully shown in the drawings as it forms no part of our present invention.

The operation of the instrument is as' follows: In the normal position of the arts, the flushing Valve p2 is closed, the talle-up roll C2 is in gear, 'and-'the music roll ,C1 out nisni,as shown in Figsl and 2, an the trip bar 'm clearsI the rotary cam m1,- The camslide u 'is shifted to its initial-position, so as not to interfere with the automatic ac`- tion of the parts. Upon closing the motor been fully wound upon the take-up roll, the4 rewind perforation of the sheet comes into register with the corresponding trackerduct, collapsing the pneumatic N and swinging the tripv bar m under the constantlyrotating cam m1, which depresses said bar, thereby oscillating the shaft G to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 and causing the sheet to be rewound upon the music roll. In order to rewind the sheet rapidly, the upper friction disk is comparatively large, as shown. Simultaneously With the reversal of the oscillating shaft G, the flushing valve p2 is opened by the pin Z4 of the depressed shifting lever L, the latter and the valve being locked in this position dury ing the rewinding operation by the automatic catch o. The moment that the sheet is fullyunwound from the take-up roll, the finger q enters the uncovered recess r of said roll, withdrawing the catch o, allowing the flushing valve to close and at the same time permitting the driving gearing to return to its normal position under the act-ion of the spring 105, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Various changes may-obviously be made `'within the scope of the appended claims,

spectively, a constantly-actuated memher,.

and we do not therefore Wish to be limited to the particular construction hereinshown and described.

`We claim as )ur invention:

l. In an instrument ofthe character described, the combination of take-up and music rolls, driving andrewind wheels for alternately rotating said rolls, an oscillating shaft carrying Wheels arranged to engage With said driving and rewind wheels, re-

and` means for oscillating said shaft including a part movable into and out of the path of said member.

2. In an instrument of the character described, the combination of take-up and music rolls, driving and rewind wheels for alternately rotating said rolls, an oscillating shaft carrying Wheels arranged to engage with said driving and rewind wheels, respectively, a constantly actuated member, and means for oscillating said shaft including a part movable into and out of the path of said member and a pneumatic for moving` said part into the path of said member.

8. In an instrument of the ch-aracter dcscribed, the combination of take-up and music rolls, driving and rewind wheels for alternately rotating said rolls, an oscilla ting shaft carrying wheels arranged to engage with said driving and rewind wheels. respectively, a constantly-:wtuatcd member, a

with said driving and rewind wheels, re-.

spectively, a shifting lever connected with said shaft, a rotary cam, a trip-bar att-ached yto said lever and movable into and out of the path of Said cam, a spring tending to withdraw the trip-bar from the cam, and a pneumatic for moving said bar`into the path of .the cam.

In an instrument of the character described, the combination of take-up and 'music rolls, driving and rewind wheels for alternately rotating said rolls, and oscillating'shaft carrying wheels arranged to engage with said driving and rewind wheels, respectively, shifting means for the oscillating shaft, means for locking said shifting means, and releasing means for said locking means controlled by the take-up roll.

6. In an instrument of thev character described, the. combination of take-up and music rolls, driving and rewind wheels for alternately rotating said rolls, an oscillating shaft carrying wheels arranged to engage with said driving and rewind wheels, respectively, a shifting lever for said shaft. a

locking catch for said lever, and a releasing devlce operatmg on said catch and controlled by the take-up roll.

7. In an instrument of the character described, the combination of take-up and music rolls, said take-up roll having a peripheral recess, driving and rewind wheels fol alternately rotating saidrolls. an oscillating shaft. carrying wheels arranged to engage With said driving and rewind wheels, respectively, shifting means for said shaft, means for locking said shifting means, and a rock-shaft arranged parallel with the takealp roll and having a releasing arm acting on said locking means and a linger arranged to enter said recess when the music sheet is unwound therefrom.

8. In an instrument of the character described, the combination of a wind chest having a flushing valve, music and take-up rolls, driving mechanism including shiftable members for alternately rotating said rolls in opposite directions. a lever carrying the flushing valve, a shifting-lever arranged adjacent to said valve-lever and having a part arranged to engage therewith to open said valve. means for actuating said shifting lever, and a connection between the shifting lever and the shiftable members of the driving' mechanisn'i.

il. In an instrument of the character described, thecombiuation of a wind chest having a flushing valve, music and take-up rolls,

driving mechanism including shiftable mem-' bersfor alternately rotating said rolls in opposite directions, a lever carrying the flushing valve, a shifting-lever arranged ad3acent tosaid valve-lever and havinga projection' arranged to engage therewith to open said valve, a connection between the said pin', and releasing means for said catch controlled by the take-up roll.

11. In an instrument of the character described, the lcombination of take-up and music rolls, automatic driving mechanism including shiftable members for alternately rotating said rollsin opposite directions, automatic shifting means for said members, and manual means independent of said auto-- s matic shifting means for throwing the drivmusic rolls, driving and rewind wheelsforing mechanism out of gear with both of said rolls..

12. In an instrument of the character described, the combination of take-up and alternately rotating said rolls, anv oscillating shaft carrying wheels arranged to engage with said driving and rewind wheels, respectively, means for automatically oscil-` lating said shaft, and means for manually oscillating said shaft including a shifting arm coperatin-g with said shaft and a cam arranged to engage said shifting arm.

13. In an instrument ofthe character described, vthe combination of take-up and music rolls, driving and rewind wheels for alternately rotating said rolls, an oscillating shaft carrying wheels arranged to engage with said ldriving and rewind'kwheels,

respectively, means for automatically oscillating saidzshaft, and means for manually oscillating said shaft includinga shifting arm coperating with said shaft and a slide carrying a cam arranged to engage said shifting arm.

14. In an instrument of the character described, the combination of take-up and music rolls, driving and rewind wheels `for alternately rotating said rolls, an oscillatling shaft carrying wheels arranged to engage with said driving and rewind wheels, respectively, a toggle-arm connected to the lower end'. of said shaft, and means for manually oscillating said shaft including a shifting arm pivoted adjacent to said toggle-arm and adapted to engage'the same.

15. In an instrument of the character described, the combination of take-up and music rolls, driving and rewind wheels for alternately rotating said rolls,l an oscillating shaft carrying wheels arranged to engage with said driving and rewind wheels, respectively, a toggle-arm connected to the lower end of said'shaft and carrying a set screw, and means for manually oscillating said shaft including a shifting arm pivoted adjacent to said toggle-arm and arranged'to engage said set screw.

16. In an instrument of the character described, the combination of `take-up and music rolls, driving and rewind wheels for alternately rotating said rolls, an oscillating shaft carrying wheels arranged to engage with said driving and rewind wheels, respectively, a toggle-arm connected to the lower end of said shaftand carrying a set screw, and means for manually oscillating said shaft including a shifting arm pivoted adjacent to said toggle-arm and arranged to engage said set screw, and a slide having a cam coperating with said shiftingnrm. 17. In an instrument of the character described, thc combination of take-up and music rolls, automatic driving mechanism including shift-able members for alternately rotating said rolls in opp'osite directions, automatic shifting means for said members, a wind chest having a flushing-valve, means for automatically opening said valve, and manual means independent of said anto matic shifting and valve opening means for opening the iiushing valve and throwing the driving mechanism outlof said rolls.`

18. In an instrument of the character degear with b oth of scribed, thecombination of take-up and music rolls, automatic driving mechanism including shiftable members for alternately rotating said rolls in opposite directions, air toma-tic shifting means for said members, a wind-chest having a Bushing-valve, means for automatically opening said valve, and independent manual means for throwing' the driving mechanism out of gear with both of said rolls and opening the flushing valve, said manual means being constructed to act on the driving mechanism alonein one position thereof and on both the driving mechanism and the fiushing valve in another pov sition thereof.

19. In an instrument of the character de' scribed., the combination of take-up and music rolls, driving and rewind wheels for alternately rotating ysaid rolls, an oscillating shaft carrying wheels arranged to engage with said driving and rewind wheels, respectively,'a toggle-arm` connected to the lower end of said shaft, a shifting arm pivflushing valve, a lever carryingv said valve,

oted adjacent to said togglefarm and adaptand a manual slide having cams coperating ed to engage the same, a wind chest having with said shifting arm and said valve-lever, a flushing valve, and a manual slide having respectively, the cam-slide being constructed 20 i cams coperating respectively with said to engage said shifting lever and clear the shifting arm and the flushing valve. l valve-1ever by a partial stroke of the slide 20. In an instrument of the character deand to engage both of' said members by a full scribed, the combination of take-up and stroke ofthe slide.

music rolls, driving and rewind Wheels for Witness our hands this 3d day of May, 25

alternately rotating said rolls, an oscillating 1910.

shaft carrying wheels arranged to engage with said driving and rewind wheels, re- FRANK L MCC-ORMICK spe-ctively, a toggle-arm connected to the AUGUST DE KLEIST' lower end of said shaft, a shifting arm piv- Witnesses: oted adjacent to said toggle-arm. and co- NORMAN O. FISH,

operating therewith, a wind chest having a W. H. WENDELL. 

